


While you were out

by batty4u



Series: An Idiot's Guide to a Higher Education [6]
Category: The Avengers - All Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Gen, Slight Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-19
Updated: 2012-04-19
Packaged: 2017-11-03 22:32:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/386701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batty4u/pseuds/batty4u
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hot smoke hit his face as Tony took another long drag from his cigarette. He was moping, ok not really, but Pepper would have called it moping. Clint, after the initial panic over his “first date since Tasha” had demanded Tony dress him properly since this mystery man of his wouldn’t appreciate band t-shirts and ripped jeans. Tony had tried wringing answers out of him, had even considered begging or following Clint, but Pepper, the damned ever observant hawk that she was, had her eye on him the whole time and when Clint left, made sure Tony didn’t follow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	While you were out

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place at the same time as The Date.

Hot smoke hit his face as Tony took another long drag from his cigarette. He was moping, ok not really, but Pepper would have called it moping. Clint, after the initial panic over his “first date since Tasha” had demanded Tony dress him properly since this mystery man of his wouldn’t appreciate band t-shirts and ripped jeans. Tony had tried wringing answers out of him, had even considered begging or following Clint, but Pepper, the damned ever observant hawk that she was, had her eye on him the whole time and when Clint left, made sure Tony didn’t follow.

So he was moping. Just a bit. His curiosity had always been one of his pitfalls. He had nearly blown up the science wing at his high school because he had wanted to find out what would happen if one variable was mixed with a certain constant chemical, the names of which he couldn’t remember. He kind of wish he had blown it up, would have made one hell of a story later.

What was he doing? Oh right, moping, and waiting for Rhodey to get his haughty taughty ass to Salvino’s Pizzeria so they could get the food and go home. Thor was with Pepper and Jane, probably curled together on his couch chatting and if he couldn’t go out and have a good time, he wanted his goddamn deep dish meat lovers pizza with green peppers.

He tilted his head back against the cool brick wall and sighed, a thick cloud of smoke curling from his lips. Rhodey was on his way home from practice, or so he should have been. But he was taking forever and Tony’s attention spam, as short as it was, was wearing extremely thin.

Tony flicked away the dead remains of the first cigarette and looked around for something to do. He could go to the corner store and grab another pack, but he had told Pepper he would try and cut back, so coming home with a new pack was probably not the best idea. There was the comic shop a block away, he hadn’t read comics in ages. Maybe he should try getting back into Captain America, how hard could that be?

Comic store it was.

*

Thor was going to be a fan favorite in no time. Pepper was curled on the couch next to him, Jane having just left for her night shift at the library, and he was going on and on about his family. He was explaining in a very adorable and animated way how his brother, Loki, had tried to convince the whole extended family, which sounded big enough to fill half of Norway, that he was actually a girl. Apparently, he had managed to take it as far as cross dressing before Thor’s father had gotten involved. 

“Do you have any siblings, Pepper?” He asked her, arm draped over the back of the couch. If he had been the average American college student, Pepper would have been worried. But Jane had told her he was just a “cuddly guy” and he honestly meant very little by stuff like that.

“No, just Tony and Rhodey.”

“But they are not your kin.”

“No,” Pepper laughed. “No not really, but they’re the next best thing.” She was about to tell him how they had grown up together, taken care of each other, when a very irritable Rhodey kicked open the door and came storming in with pizza.

“Where the fuck is he?”

Pepper blinked. “Sorry, who?”

Rhodey made a face. “Who do you think?”

Oh.

Tony.

Of course.

“I thought he was meeting you there?” Pepper asked as Rhodey moved into the kitchen to drop the pizzas on the counter. “And who’s this?”

Tall, Blonde, and gorgeous, not as scruffy or massive as Thor, had just stepped into the apartment, shoulders close to his ears, hands folded politely behind his back. Pepper scanned her memory banks for where she had seen him before, his poster boy face so familiar it almost hurt.

“Steve Rogers?” She asked, since Rhodey was too busy bitching under his breath to introduce him. “Captain of the football team, right?”

He looked at her and smiled, shy, sincere and adorable. “Yes, that’s me.” He offered his hand. “It’s a pleasure…”

“Pepper, Pepper Potts.” She climbed off the couch to shake his hand.

“Oh, aren’t you thinking of being manager this season?”

Hell with that smile, Steve could have asked Pepper to rob a bank and she probably would have considered it.

“Depending on my class schedule yes. If not then I’ll be at all the games. I’m Rhodey’s personal cheer leader.”

“You like staring at the team’s asses.” Rhodey grumbled from the kitchen where he was fiddling with his phone.

“I was trying to be supportive, Rhodey.”

Steve laughed. “It’s alright, we’d love to have you, even if it’s just for the… uh… physical show.”

Oh god he was a blusher, his cheeks turning red, eyes focusing on his shoes. Pepper really hoped he had a girl friend because otherwise he was going to get mauled by the cheerleaders.

Thor got to his feet and introduced himself, said something about being interested in joining the team and Pepper went to join Rhodey, who was busy swearing at the phone in his hands.

“Rhodey, relax I’m sure he’s fine.” She rubbed his back but Rhodey just ignored her.

“He’s got the best damn phone on the planet and he doesn’t fucking use it, sonnova-”

“Rhodey.”

“You’d think he could not wander off just one fucking-”

“Rhodey.”

“But no he’s Tony fucking Stark and he’ll-”

“Rhodey!”

He looked up at her. “I don’t like it when he wanders off, Pep.”

“I know, but I’m sure he’s fine. He probably just went to buy cigarettes or something.” Pepper took the phone from him. “Calm down.”

“You asked him to cut back so he hasn’t bought a new pack in two weeks.”

“Sure he hasn’t, Rhodey,” Pepper said. As much as she liked the idea of Tony actually listening to her, she doubted he’d go out of his way to do so. “He’s probably chatting up some brunette stripper at the corner store.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

“If he isn’t back soon, I’ll call Happy and we’ll go find him, ok?”

Rhodey sighed. “I’m eating his mother fucking pizza.”

“You do that, Rhodey.”

*

Tony groaned into the asphalt under him, his eyes trying to refocus after a blow to the head.

“Get up, fag.”

Oh, right, this asshole.

The one who’s dick Tony had almost bitten off.

Clearly, had hadn’t been successful.

Have to try harder next time.

“Get the fuck up, faggot, I’m talking to you.”

“No, you’re punching me and I’m pretty sure there’s a difference.” But Tony got to his feet anyway and on shaky legs managed to parry the next fist aimed for his face. “Bitch I like my face, will you stop!”

Asshole, or was it fucktard, Ken grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him against the alley wall. “Not till I feel better.”

This was about the party. Ken was supposed to be straight and Tony figured that someone had caught him with his dick being shoved down Tony’s throat about five seconds before he nearly lost it and probably decided to swear off blowjobs for the next five years.

“You were the fucktard who drugged me,” Tony shouted. “Trust me had I been in my right mind you would not have even made it to first fucking base.”

He reeled when Ken’s fist connected with his face, blood trailing down his chin from a split lip. He was going to look lovely when he got home. Pepper was going to pitch a fit and Rhodey… Rhodey would probably hit him.

“You humiliated me. In front of everyone!” Ken’s hand closed around Tony’s throat, cutting off his air. “I am not a faggot like you. You ruined everything I had going, you little shit.”

“You’re…. You’re the one who shoved y-your dick… Down my th-throat.” Tony gave him his best eat shit smile. “Methinks y-you’re the one who brought this on yourself, Kenny.”

“Fucker. I’m gonna-”

Tony froze when he heard the all too familiar click of a gun being cocked. Ken’s hand tightened on instinct around his throat and Tony was worried he’d pass out soon if he didn’t let go.

“Let go of Mister Stark, or I will make sure that you never fornicate again.” A cool and dangerously calm voice said, British accent clear as day. Tony opened his eyes to see the barrel of the gun pressed to Ken’s neck, held by a black gloved hand. “And please, do not tempt me. I have had a very long day.”

*

Steve was too busy watching Rhodey pace to focus on the movie. It was something Sci-Fi related, but he had never seen Rhodey so worked up. Granted they’d only been friends for a few months, but still, with all the stress that came with being on a division one football team, Rhodey had managed to keep calm through everything. Except losing Tony.

“I’m sure he’s fine, Rhodes,” He said, trying to be helpful. But Rhodey just glared at him and kept pacing, fiddling with his phone.

“Rhodey sit down and knock it off.” Pepper scolded from her seat next to Thor, her head on his thigh.

“No.”

“What could have happened?” Steve asked. True, the only real interaction he had had with Tony was finding him drunk and beaten half to death but still, he didn’t seem stupid. He didn’t seem like the guy who would go looking for trouble.

But then Steve was probably wrong.

“A lot of things, Cap. A lot.” Rhodey sighed. “Tony’s dad is really rich and important and shit and rather than take their problems to him people have a tendency to just take them out on Tony.”

“And he’s given himself the reputation of troublemaker,” Pepper added. “I’m pretty sure there’s at least some kind of ‘Tony Stark Must Die Club’ on campus, probably disguised as a sorority or frat.”

“So… He is probably in trouble?”

“Probably,” Pepper and Rhodey said in unison. Thor looked from one to the other, mouth full of pizza before nodding as if he somehow understood and went back to watching the film.

Well that made things a lot less fun.

“Wait… Tony Stark?” Steve repeated and Pepper just nodded.

Rhodey was grabbing for his jacket though when the door opened and in strode, well, what Steve could only describe as the perfect creepy English butler, complete with a fine black suit, leather gloves, and well kept hair. On his back, arms wrapped around his neck, was Tony, a fresh shiner forming on his right eye, a small bag clutched in his left hand.

“Tony!”

“Jarvis?”

“Where the fuck have you been?”

Steve moved out of the way as Pepper and Rhodey ran forward and helped Tony off the man, Jarvis’, back. Pepper grabbed him and began inspection him, chastising him for being reckless as her fingers poked the bruise on his face trying to see how severe it was. Rhodey, who had initially planned to yell at him, instead turned to Jarvis for an explanation.

“Nothing to fear, Master Rhodes. I was on my way here when I came across Tony and a rather pathetic young man-”

“Really tony?” Pepper groaned.

“Who had apparently made a pass at him at a party earlier in the week and was hoping to consummate said attempt. Believe you me, Miss Potts, it was not Tony’s fault.” Jarvis pulled off his gloves and straightened his coat, Steve catching a glimpse of a revolver tucked into his trousers. “I made it very clear to said young man that attempting to do so again in the future would yield… unfortunate consequences.”

Basically, mess with Tony and you get shot by the butler. Steve made a mental note to tread carefully just in case. But Jarvis seemed nice enough, just as the cliché of British butler’s did. But there was something about him, something other than the revolver, that made Steve uneasy. Thor seemed to notice it to, because he was watching Jarvis closely, as if waiting for some sort of surprise attack.

“Pepper let go,” Tony was saying, trying to push the red head away. “I’m fine for fucks sake, just stop.” He looked exhausted and defeated, still trying to hang onto what little dignity he had left.

That was, until he turned and saw Steve.

“Sonnova Bitch what are you doing here?” He croaked pointing.

Steve raised an eyebrow. “I was invited?”

“By who- goddamn it Rhodey!”

“You never thanked him,” Rhodey said.

“I did-” Tony stopped himself, face turning red. Steve shuddered when Jarvis’ eyes fell on him.

“And you are, sir?”He asked in a cool, clipped and subtly dangerous voice.

“Steve Rogers, sir. I helped Tony out, after the party with that guy you, uhm, threatened.” Oh god he probably should have used another word. “I mean, I’m sort of a friend, at least I thought I was.”

“You are,” Pepper corrected.

Jarvis smiled. “You helped Master Tony, then yes, you are considered very much a friend.”

“I love how you all are deciding who my friends are when I’m standing right here,” Tony snapped. He looked embarrassed, cheeks flushed, eyes never managing to look at Steve’s face. Jarvis put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“You’re being difficult Tony,” He said gently and Tony’s shoulders slumped.

“Fine. You,” He pointed at Steve, “Come. You all stay. Hi Thor.”

“Hi Tony,” Thor called, not even turning to acknowledge him.

So Steve followed Tony down the hall to what he figured was Tony’s bedroom, while Pepper and Rhodey got Jarvis some food and settled back down for the film, Jarvis sitting upright in the nearby arm chair, one eye on them as they walked away.

“Look, I’m sorry if you don’t want me here,” Steve said as Tony kicked open his bedroom door. “I can go if-”

Tony’s room was insane. There was no other way to describe it. Maybe brilliant. Maybe messy. But both of those fit well under the word insane. Blueprints and designs were tacked along the walls like art work, photos of him with Pepper and Rhodey and many with him and Jarvis over the years hanging among them. Model planes and tanks littered his dresser, mobiles that were made from scrap metal hanging from the ceiling, renditions of the famous constellations. Some even had little lights attached, giving off the soft glow of star light. The skeleton of what Steve guessed to be a future robot sat by Tony’s desk, which was covered in books and notes and more designs. Thick drapes covered the window, Christmas lights hanging across the walls, a makeshift chandelier of old small globes hanging over his desk.

It was fantastic, a bizarre wonderland Steve had never seen before.

“Wow,” He breathed. “Did you… Did you make all this?”

“Yeah.” Tony sat down on his bed, which was a large mattress and a wide array of pillows on the center of the room, with a huff.

“This is awesome. Is that a real robot?”

“It will be when I can get the circuit board working properly. It’s being dumb.” Tony rubbed his face, wincing at the pain from the bruise. “Look I’m sorry I freaked out.”

“No it’s-”

“Shut up, no it isn’t fine, it’s me being a grade A asshole. So I’m sorry, accept the damn apology you won’t hear them often.” Tony refused to meet his eyes. He gave a start and grabbed for something, a pair of jeans that lay by the head of the bed and hid them under the covers.

Why was he hiding Steve’s jeans?

“Sorry, they haven’t been washed yet.” He added, noting Steve’s confusion.

“It’s fine. Keep them. They’re too small anyway.”

Tony stared at him, face still flushed. He was cute when he wasn’t running his mouth. Or, well, Steve tried to rethink it. He was mildly attractive-

Nah, Tony was cute.

He had come to terms with the sexuality issue in high school and there was nothing wrong about thinking Tony was cute.

“Did you want to go back and watch the movie?” Steve asked, motioning to the door. “I mean you missed most of it but we could still catch the end.”

Tony shook his head.

“You ok?”

With a sigh, Tony handed Steve the small shopping bag he had brought home with him. He wouldn’t look at him; he just waved the bag towards him. Steve took it from him and sat down on the mattress at his side.

“You got me something?”

“No I just felt like handing you an empty fucking bag.”

Steve smiled and looked inside. It was a comic book, probably first or second edition, and really, really rare.

It was Captain America: The First Avenger, one of the first comics the hero had appeared in and one of the first Steve had read as a kid.

“How did you find this?” He muttered, running his hand over the cover. “How the hell did you even know I would want this?”

“You had a poster in your room. The only damn poster there. And there were a few comics on the bookshelf. Not hard to figure out. Besides you remind me of him.” Tony buried his face in his arms with the last muttered word.

“You didn’t have to… I mean it must have been… Tony I can’t accept this.”

“You probably saved my life, dipshit,” which was most likely Tony’s way of saying friend, “I had to get you something. Couldn’t think of anything else. Besides, I’m sure they told you, I’m not exactly broke.” He looked up at Steve through his lashes. “Just take it alright? And don’t tell Rhodey. He’s been looking for that issue for years. It was lucky too, the comic shop had just gotten it from a collector.”

He seemed so different than the snarky piece of work Steve had met a few nights earlier. The edge was still there but it was like Tony was trying convince Steve he wasn’t, well, an ass. There was an odd sincerity to his voice, one Steve would have never expected and he kept glancing at Steve, his eyes sort of begging for praise.

But if that was all, why hadn’t he just gone to Pepper or Rhodey for praise, given Rhodey the comic, shown Pepper the robot in the corner?

Steve smiled and gave Tony’s shoulder a squeeze. “Thank you, Tony. I’ll take good care of it.”

“Good.” Tony said before flopping onto his back and clapping his hands. The lights shut off and the mobiles glittered overhead like stars, slowly dancing about in dizzying circles. Steve lay back next to Tony, staring up at the ceiling, watching the odd little contraptions as they moved, the lights blinking down at them. He couldn’t help but smile. It was brilliant, mesmerizing, made him think of childhood again, the yearning for something magical.

“Why did you make those?” he whispered. He could feel Tony sigh, feel his body shifting next to him.

“When I was little, I had wanted to see the stars, really see them,” Tony said in a weak voice. “But I was told that was silly, childish nonsense, you know?” He snorted. “So I made these, I made my own stars. I couldn’t have the real thing so I just made my own. Made my own escape.”

Steve tried to ignore the bitterness in Tony’s voice.

“They’re beautiful.”

“Escape usually is.”

They lay there in silence, as the others continued with their film, staring up at their man made stars, their breathing falling into time, life’s exhaustion creeping up on them. Steve was certain he felt Tony’s hand grab for his at some point before retreating in fear. He just shifted closer, his head next to Tony’s, listening to him breathe as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

Escape.

What a funny idea that was.


End file.
